Isn’t it wonderful to fall asleep quickly, sleep soundly through the night and wake up feeling refreshed and energized? The sun shines brighter; your heart feels lighter; and all is right with the world. That’s the effect of restful and restorative sleep, which is essential for physical and psychological health. When we sleep well most of the time, we feel better overall because our mind and body has had ample opportunities to recharge. On the other hand, chronic…

About six months ago, I started walking three miles four or five times a week to lose weight. After a few months, I was about 10 pounds lighter and felt great. Since then, I’ve only lost a little bit more weight and am starting to feel discouraged. Have a hit “the plateau” that everyone talks about? If so, what can I do to start losing weight again?

At the beginning of the year, I added weight training to my cardio routine to firm up, increase my strength and…